How do you type so fast?

[Barnabas]

I am so tired of new players who assume....wrongly...that fast solve times can only be acquired by cheating. Bansai, for one, has some videos on utube that show quite clearly that he's just inhumanly fast at solving. I've been here long enough to know that our other really fast folks are equally innocent of "cheating".

And you should see him fold laundry!

[damsel22]

do you type so fast?

Like WV, when I first started here several years ago, I was truly amazed at the speed of some folks here. can still remember asking myself "how is it even possible to solve a puzzle so quickly? I can't imagine ever being that fast...". But millions of points later, I have become better at recognizing patterns and recalling many of the quotes I have seen.

[petname]

I'm new....

I'm amazed at the highest scores. Like several others, I just thought that there are people a WHOLE lot smarter and more widely read than I am. It's a humbling experience, but I find this very interesting.

[imported_Lurker]

Welcome aboard! Everyone was new here once. Some just have a bigger head start than others. Keep practicing, and you'll improve. Everyone does.

[petname]

thank you!

I appreciate the encouragement...but I'm still no threat here. Don't think I'll ever be so. But it is so much fun! And I'm proud when I complete a cryptogram.

[mikehallbackhoe]

when I first joined, I thought I was pretty good at solving cryptograms. I was shocked to find out that I was below average in my solving times. I ate my humble pie, and kept playing, and before long my times improved. I will never be among the fastest, but now I am consistently above average. Don"t compare yourself to others, and just compete against yourself.. Don't get discouraged, and just have fun.

[imported_alina]

I watched a video of cryptogram solving that bansai put on youtube, and I think that I see the key to him doing it so fast - he types sequentially, whereas I always jump between words. I guess he just remembers all the quotes on this site.

[petname]

To remember all the quotes on this site? WOW! But...wouldn't that take away most of the fun? I'm bad as when a screen full of long, jumbled alphabet strings of letters pop out at me, I'm lost with them. I seem to add to the jumble....

[twskinner]

Obviously I can't speak for bansai, but you don't have to memorize all the quotes to be able to type mostly sequentially. I think it's much easier to get fast times utilizing common words and combinations of words, and minimizing the jumping around that way.

[puzzleme]

Momof7 - After reading your comment, I actually looked for the "Like" button! Then I realized this isn't Facebook

[pj48]

You mentioned that the comments section is one of the aspects you enjoy on this site. I often find that the comments are wittier, more clever and funnier than the actual quote.

I played here occasionally for years before joining. The main reason I eventually joined was the fact that sometimes I REALLY wanted to comment on a quote (or on someone's comment). I do enjoy the comments as much as solving.

[insomniac]

I played here occasionally for years before joining. The main reason I eventually joined was the fact that sometimes I REALLY wanted to comment on a quote (or on someone's comment). I do enjoy the comments as much as solving.

Me too. I also play a lot of logic problems (though for some reason the login there is separate from here?) and nearly every comment is just people giving their times and/or scores. The cryptogram comments feel more like a community. :-)

[wvwoman]

my little rant on that topic!

i'm with you, insomniac. i wonder why some folks think they can use the comments sections as their personal stats pages? i'm not saying one should never mention it, if it's the topic of your comment, but just posting your time/score just seems selfish. (making a comment and then "off-handedly" adding your time doesn't work for me, either!) if you want the info, find a way to keep the stats yourself.

if everyone joined in, there would just be miles of stats in the comments sections. it sounds like they're off to a good start on the logic site--i hope they stay there.

[petname]

I was guilty of that....

I was also posting my seconds when I first started...as I noticed that others had done this as well. However, I saw one comment where a member berated another for doing just that. I realized if everyone did this (and many obviously do much better than I do), the comment sections would be ridiculously long with posted scores. I've never done this again. Sorry for those I've already done.

[wvwoman]

no problem at all

let's just say that you were led astray!!